Hi

Please find attached my submissions is regards to the COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill (No 2) (“the Bill”). The proposed amendments to the Bill introduce strict liability infringement fees for noncompliance. The Act was rushed through last year with unprecedented powers. Now they want to more power. 

Submissions

The fines are increased from $300 to $4,000, with a maximum infringement fee of $12,000. Infringement orders may include:  

• Failure to display a QR code ($12,000 infringement fee for a company);
•  Failure to wear a face-covering (as opposed to surgical masks);
•  Failure to physically distance (2 m) at alert levels 3 and 4;
• Exercising somewhere not readily accessible from your home during levels 3 and 4;
• Swimming, surfing or tramping at alert level 4.

These infringement fees are excessive (a staggering 1333% increase) and seemingly disproportionate to the risk of COVID-19.

For those that haven't made submissions. You have until 11.59 tonight. The submission do not need to be perfect and you could post bullet points. Here is the Government Link Make a submission

Thanks 

Kirsten